Naia Izumi
{{Short description|2018 NPR Tiny Desk Contest winner}}
Naia Izumi is an American virtuoso guitarist and singer songwriter from Columbus, Georgia.{{Cite web |author1=Adam Kovac |date=2021-11-08 |title=Naia Izumi: "The most important part isn't about the chord voicing, it's about the melody and bassline" |url=https://www.guitarworld.com/features/naia-izumi-a-residency-in-the-los-angeles-area |access-date=2023-05-06 |website=guitarworld |language=en}}
Early life
Izumi received his first guitar by age 10. He learned how to play the instrument in a closet, hiding from his father, who disapproved of his interest in creating music.{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Kyle Andrew |date=2022-05-19 |title=No Aloha Says Yes To Abortion Access Fundraiser |url=https://bushwickdaily.com/music-and-nightlife/no-aloha-naia-izumi-show-npr-tiny-desk/ |access-date=2023-05-06 |website=Bushwick Daily |language=en-US}} His mother is a choir director.{{Cite web |date=2018-04-24 |title=Meet Naia Izumi, The 2018 Tiny Desk Contest Winner |url=https://www.wvxu.org/2018-04-24/meet-naia-izumi-the-2018-tiny-desk-contest-winner |access-date=2023-05-06 |website=WVXU |language=en}}
At the age of 16, Izumi was diagnosed with autism. He is open about being autistic, and describes it as "not a problem but instead a unique brain chemistry one can use to accomplish the unexpected".{{Cite web |last=Prown |first=Pete |title=Naia Izumi {{!}} Vintage Guitar® magazine |date=August 2022 |url=https://www.vintageguitar.com/39789/naia-izumi/ |access-date=2023-05-06 |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2018-09-06 |title=Tiny Desk Contest winner Naia Izumi on being a role model for those with autism |url=https://riffmagazine.com/features/naia-izumi-tiny-desk-role-modeling/ |access-date=2023-05-06 |website=RIFF Magazine |language=en-US}}
Career
Izumi began his music career busking on the streets of Los Angeles. Filmmaker Suzuya Bobo met Izumi in LA and offered to create a music video for him. She suggested he submit a song to the NPR Tiny Desk Contest.
In 2018, at age 34, Izumi won the fourth annual NPR Music Tiny Desk Contest with his song "Soft Spoken".{{cite web |last1=Shapiro |first1=Ari |title=Meet Naia Izumi, The 2018 Tiny Desk Contest Winner |url=https://www.npr.org/sections/allsongs/2018/04/24/605005960/meet-naia-izumi-the-2018-tiny-desk-contest-winner |publisher=NPR Music |accessdate=1 May 2019}}{{cite web |title=Los Angeles' Naia Izumi Wins NPR Music's 2018 Tiny Desk Contest |date=27 April 2018 |url=https://woub.org/2018/04/27/los-angeles-naia-izumi-wins-npr-musics-2018-tiny-desk-contest/ |publisher=WOUB |accessdate=1 May 2019}}{{cite web |last1=Varian |first1=Ethan |title=Meet Guitarist Naia Izumi, Winner of NPR's Latest and Greatest Tiny Desk Contest |date=20 February 2019 |url=https://www.guitarworld.com/artists/meet-guitarist-naia-izumi-winner-of-nprs-latest-and-greatest-tiny-desk-contest |publisher=Guitar World |accessdate=1 May 2019}} According to the series' creator, Bob Boilen, Izumi "impressed the judges with his intricate, complex guitar playing and his sweet, emotive voice."{{Cite web |title="Soft-Spoken, Soulful" Naia Izumi Wins NPR's 2018 Tiny Desk Contest |url=https://www.grammy.com/news/soft-spoken-soulful-naia-izumi-wins-nprs-2018-tiny-desk-contest |access-date=2023-05-06 |website=www.grammy.com}} The competition was judged by Boilen, Tarriona "Tank" Ball, Sylvan Esso, and Gaby Moreno.{{Cite web |last=Deflin |first=Kendall |date=2018-05-14 |title=NPR Winner Naia Izumi Performs Tiny Desk Concert Ahead Of National Tour [Watch] |url=https://liveforlivemusic.com/news/npr-naia-izumi-tiny-desk/ |access-date=2023-05-06 |website=L4LM |language=en-US}} Izumi was surprised to learn he had won, because he forgot he had entered the contest.{{Cite web |last=Stories |first=Local |title=Meet Naia Izumi – Voyage LA Magazine {{!}} LA City Guide |url=http://voyagela.com/interview/meet-naia-izumi-naia-izumi-arts-district-little-tokyo/ |access-date=2023-05-06 |website=voyagela.com |date=23 April 2019 |language=en-US}} Following his win, he played a 10-city national tour.
In 2019, Izumi signed to Sony Masterworks.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sonymusicmasterworks.com/artist/naia-izumi/|title=Naia Izumi|website=Sony Masterworks|language=en-US|access-date=2020-02-20}} He is sponsored by Fender.{{Cite web |last=Dye |first=Robert |date=2020-06-22 |title=Watch Guitarist Naia Izumi Create Loops, Harmonics and Percussive Rhythms On The Fender Acoustasonic Stratocaster |url=https://americansongwriter.com/watch-guitarist-naia-izumi-create-loops-harmonics-and-percussive-rhythms-on-the-fender-acoustasonic-stratocaster/ |access-date=2023-05-06 |website=American Songwriter |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Fender Press Releases & Products Updates {{!}} Fender Newsroom |url=https://spotlight.fender.com/newsroom/news/745 |access-date=2023-05-06 |website=spotlight.fender.com}}
On July 30, 2021, Sony Masterworks released Izumi's debut album, A Residency in the Los Angeles Area. On the album, he played vocals, guitar, bass, drums, Japanese Koto, mandolin, and cittern. Izumi was influenced by King Crimson, Musiq Soulchild, and Shakti.{{Cite web |date=2021-06-17 |title=Naia Izumi Shares New Video and Playlist of Songs that Inspired Forthcoming Album |url=https://relix.com/blogs/detail/naia-izumi-shares-new-video-and-spotify-playlist-of-songs-that-inspired-forthcoming-record-a-residency-in-the-los-angeles-area/ |access-date=2023-05-06 |website=Relix Media |language=en-US}} American Songwriter wrote, "it's amazing to see an artist like Izumi make a bold, exciting new sound out of the cherished, ol' six-string. That's raw, unabashed creativity."{{Cite web |last=Vitagliano |first=Joe |date=2021-07-09 |title=Daily Discovery: Naia Izumi Lays Down Funky Guitars And Hard Truths On "Six Inch Stilettos" |url=https://americansongwriter.com/daily-discovery-naia-izumi-lays-down-funky-guitars-and-hard-truths-on-six-inch-stilettos/ |access-date=2023-05-06 |website=American Songwriter |language=en-US}}
In 2022, Izumi played a concert in Bushwick to raise money for abortion access.
Releases
= Albums =
= Singles =
- "Soft Spoken"[https://open.spotify.com/album/3Cz2GOXIToRq1GO4rNiczp?si=O7IVZ1MaS8uvhmIxn6qyIw "Soft Spoken"] (2018){{Citation|title=Soft Spoken|url=https://open.spotify.com/album/3Cz2GOXIToRq1GO4rNiczp|language=en|access-date=2020-02-20}}
- "Our Gravity"[https://open.spotify.com/album/74TaeWCAyT39QXfI8B8PL3?si=jfVOZkCVSpuPBt4tv-nnYw "Our Gravity"] (2019){{Cite web |title=Naia Izumi Gets Caught Up in "Our Gravity" in Original Tracks Video |url=https://floodmagazine.com/62552/naia-izumi-gets-caught-up-in-our-gravity-in-original-tracks-video/ |access-date=2023-05-06 |website=FLOOD |language=en}}
= Shows =
- Naia Izumi: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42MiCMJ6DJU Naia Izumi: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert] (2018)
Personal life
Izumi resides in Los Angeles, California. He identified as genderfluid, then as a transgender woman for seven years, but now identifies as a cisgender man. The song that won the Tiny Desk Concert was originally titled "Soft Spoken Woman", and was written about his experiences as a woman.{{Cite web |last=Igun |first=Tolu |date=2018-09-10 |title=Naia Izumi rocks free concert at Memorial Union Terrace after dark |url=https://badgerherald.com/artsetc/2018/09/10/naia-izumi-rocks-free-concert-at-memorial-union-terrace-after-dark |access-date=2023-05-06 |website=The Badger Herald}}